Trondro Gasy (Tilapia in Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients:

1.5kg fresh whole tilapia (chose small ones), cleaned and scaled
120ml oil
2 onions, chopped
400g tinned, chopped, tomatoes
2 tbsp garlic, grated
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 onion, finely sliced (to garnish)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chopped onions and fry over medium heat until translucent (about 6 minutes). Stir in the tomatoes (and the juice) and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break down to form a sauce. Now stir in the garlic, salt, black pepper and curry powder.

Add the fish at this point, pushing the fish down so that they are covered in the sauce (add water, if necessary, so that the fish are barely covered). Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer gently, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so, until the fish is evenly cooked.

Continue cooking for about 50 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has evaporated away and the sauce is very thick (the sauce can catch on the base and begin to burn at this point — it is better to use a non-stick pan). Serve hot on a bed of rice.